Loyalties
This is the fourth episode of Vale, season 2. Written by Rainy. Read, enjoy, & comment! http://images.wikia.com/the-brighty-and-rainy/images/4/4d/Loyalties.jpg ''Loyalties'' Morning found me with no more rest than I'd had last night, and infinitely more questions. To name a few: What was Ryan going to tell me today that he thought had a chance of turning me against SpringClan? How was I going to tell him that I would never, ever be a part of his group? Was Blossompaw okay? Would she make it? And what the heck was going on between Daisypaw, Specklepaw, and Minkpaw? Was the Vale Squad breaking up before it even began? Oh, and my nosebleed had started during the night again. So disgusting. After I'd cleaned myself up, I padded out of the den. Instantly, three pairs of eyes fixed on me, in shades of hazel, gold-green, and brown. Daisypaw, Specklepaw, and Minkpaw. Each of them demanding with their stare that I come over to them, and daring me at the same time to have the nerve to choose another cat. She-cats tended to be so overdramatic. I chose Specklepaw, much to Daisypaw and Minkpaw's shock. "Breezepaw. What has Daisypaw told you about me so far?" he asked resignedly as soon as I padded over. To the point, huh? "Not much, other than she dumped you. I honestly have no idea what went on yesterday. I mean, I left for a few hours and when I come back, no one tells me how Blossompaw is, you're missing, and those two are cranky. What on earth is going on?" Oddly, he looked relieved. "That's all Daisypaw told you? That she dumped me?" Eyeing him suspiciously, I said, "You look strangely happy with the fact." Red colored his face. "I'm not, I just... Well, the break up was mutual, just so you know. This time I was mad at her too." "You gonna tell me what happened? Because she seems mad at me for some reason, which makes absolutely no sense." He shifted uncomfortably and shook his head. "Not going to tell you what happened." "Argh. Fine. I'll go ask one of the others." "I don't think they'll tell you either. Besides, Minkpaw doesn't even know, and Daisypaw... I think you put it right when you said she's mad at you. Because she is. And I highly doubt she'll tell you what happened." "Then who will?" I said icily. Of course, I was kind of being a hypocrite. After all, I wasn't going to tell any of them where I'd been yesterday, or what happened with Bluebird and Ryan. But still. "Specklepaw," I sighed. "Please just tell me." With a highly unnecessary amount of groaning and grumbling, he finally conceded to a partial explanation. Happily, I flopped down beside him and gave him an expectant stare. "She thought that lately, I hadn't been putting much into the relationship at all," he explained. "I tried to tell her I'd been busy with assessments and aerial training, but she wouldn't listen. And then she said that I didn't even seem to like her anymore... and I made the mistake of not denying it." This last part was accompanied by a sigh. That was the big problem that had everyone in a twist? "Well, you obviously do still like her, and she probably still likes you, so tell her you made a mistake and make it up to her," I said, rolling my eyes. "Problem solved." Specklepaw didn't reply. I glanced at him. He was staring at me, the flecks of gold in his green eyes luminous in the early lighting. For once, I was able to read a tom perfectly. "You don't like her anymore? But why?" Maybe I wasn't as good of a tom-reader as I thought. His expression closed off from me, and he dropped his gaze. "I can't really tell you." "Why?" I whined impishly, poking him. "Because... because I can't Breezepaw. Quite honestly, it's embarrassing." I stared at him incredulously. "But... why? You've never had any problem telling me things before! You were the one who asked me for help on how to get Daisypaw to like you, remember? So I really don't know what your damage is now." Abruptly, he got up. "I can't tell you here. She'll know." He gestured behind me, where Daisypaw was talking with Goldenburst and pretending to ignore us- with her signature I'm-pretending-to-ignore-you-while-trying-to-listen-to-your-conversation face on. I'd know it anywhere. Albeit reluctantly, I agreed, "Okay. Let's just go a little bit into the woods." Together, we got up and padded out of the SpringClan camp. Specklepaw made a huge point of avoiding my gaze and making sure our pelts didn't brush. Sheesh, he was acting like he'd committed murder or something. What was wrong with him? "Okay. We're far enough now," I said, halting. "Now, explain everything please." Suddenly I noticed that Specklepaw looked like he was going to be sick. The color had leaked out of his face, and all his spirit seemed to have faded. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you," he said. "It might creep you out." Why on earth was he being such a weirdo about things? "Oh for heaven's sakes, Specklepaw. Unless it's some kind of crazy life threatening disease that will devastate me, just tell me. And even if it is a life threatening disease, tell me, because you can't die, obviously." "It's not a disease," he said, his eyes focused on a tree limb right above my head. "It's about me not liking Daisypaw anymore. I don't like her anymore because I like someone else." Well, that was certainly interesting! My mind whirred crazily, trying to come up with possible matches. Minkpaw? One of the younger warriors? "Who?" I yelped. "You." All right, I admit it. Ditching Specklepaw right after he confessed to liking me was low. It was cowardly. But I didn't want to think about it. I didn't want to talk it over with him, because the truth was, I saw no reason to say no if he asked me out. I liked him as a friend, but there was no denying he was handsome, with his mottled coat and chiseled features. I was actually tempted to tell him we should give a relationship a go... except for one thing. He was Daisypaw's ex. Best friends didn't steal each other's exes. And, if I wasn't mistaken, Daisypaw had sensed that Specklepaw liked me. That's why she'd dumped him, and that's why she was so frosty towards me, even though I didn't even know. Drama. Blah. I hated it. So I decided to not provoke it. I would tell Specklepaw we should just remain friends, that he'd easily get over me. Except I'd tell him some other time. Again, I was a coward. Besides, I did have a plausible excuse. Or rather, an excuse. I didn't think sneaking out of camp to meet a rogue was necessarily acceptable, but I had promised, and he had rescued me. Walking by my own towards High-Rock, Blossompaw came to mind. Lionpatch, who thought of her like his own daughter rather than apprentice, had demanded that no one come into the den until it was an absolute emergency, so no one except her family could visit her. Which really, really supremely sucked. Because I was exceedingly nosy, and I wanted to know how she was doing. I swear, if there was another death in the Clan... As I approached High-Rock, I spotted Ryan standing at its base, his black pelt stark against the reddish stone and waving grass all around him. "You really shouldn't be so bold," I called as I approached him. "This is still SpringClan territory, and if we get caught, you can rest assured that I'll pretend you abducted me." "Loyal, aren't you?" he said dryly, falling into step with me as we clambered up High-Rock. "The most," I agreed. "Now, make this quick. I have aerial training later and-" Wait. Aerial training meant Specklepaw. "On second thought, go ahead and tell me the whole thing. I've got time." Ryan blinked. "Okay. Er..." "Where are Lily and Chamomile?" I asked. "On another mission." Seeing me tense up, he hastily added, "Would you relax? We're just messengers. That's all we do. We're not busy beating up one of your Clanmates. By the way, how is she? The one who got hurt. Flowerpaw or Birchpaw or something." "The one who got attacked, you mean? Her name is Blossompaw," I said with my eyes narrowed. "And I don't know. Our medicine cat won't let me near her." Feeling the need to clarify, I said, "A medicine cat is-" With a snort, he interrupted, "I know what a medicine cat is. Like Lily said before, we know a lot about the Clans." Something odd flickered in his eyes, and he sighed, almost to himself. Rather insensitively, I mewed, "So, are you going to tell me what you wanted to tell me?" The hint of a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. "Direct and to the point, aren't you?" "I don't like playing games," I admitted. Sheepishly, he pawed at the ground. "Well, honestly, I don't have that much new material for you. I hadn't really thought that part out through. I didn't even think you'd agree to come. But... there might be something that'd work. Maybe I could show you that life outside of SpringClan isn't vulgar and horrid." That sounded suspicious. "What do you mean?" Leaping to his paws, he whisked his tail towards the border, just outside High-Rock. "Let's take a walk outside of your precious territory, shall we?" "What?" I said, taking a step backwards. He'd already began to scramble away, towards the outer fields that lay beyond SpringClan's border. "Come on! There are no rules outside the Clan on where you can go, so technically you're not even trespassing! And does the warrior code say you can't go outside the territory?" Well, he was making a convincing argument... "Just this time," I swore, racing after him. I don't know what I'd been expecting to happen when I crossed the border. Explosions? The end of the world? StarClan coming to tell me I had failed as a cat of SpringClan? Nothing happened. Only the landscape changed, more rollicking hills than I had ever seen before, scattered with heather and other wildflowers. Gorse scratched our pelts, and tall, uncut grass tickled our noses. It was, quite honestly, beautiful. I had never seen this part of the vale before, and I loved it. "Is this where your group's camp is?" "It's where Lily, Cammy and I sleep," he said. Puzzled, I said, "But don't you sleep with the other rogues?" Ryan shook his head. "Nope. We're just messengers, I told you." All this was news to me though. "But... but you still consider yourself part of their group, even though you only take orders?" "Don't you consider yourself part of your Clan even though you only take orders?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. How dare he compare this to Clan life! "Well yeah, but I actually live and work with all the warriors in my Clan," I pointed out. Bitterly, he turned away. "Don't even try to convince me that the Clans do anything right." Taking a step closer to him, I said, "You really hate them, don't you? Anything to do with the Clans?" "What was your first clue?" Gently, I touched my paw to his. "Why do you hate them so much, Ryan? Just because we 'hog up territory'? Is that all there is to it? Because that really makes no sense, if you think about it. That's no cause for what you're doing." "You're right." He pulled his paw away and glared at me. "I have my reasons. And they're none of your business." Not in the mood to get snubbed by another tom, I bristled at him. "Fine. Be that way. But if you have your own personal reasons for hating the Clans, why can't I have my own personal reasons for loving them? I live there for StarClan's sake! Everything I've ever known is with them! And you expect me to hate them just because you do- for a reason you won't even tell me?!" His whiskers twitched. "Well, when you put it like that." Seething, I whirled around and began marching away. "Whoa, whoa, Breezepaw. Calm down. I didn't mean to get you so mad." Ryan moved to stand in front of me, blocking my way. I didn't hesitate to shove him aside. "Take it easy!" he yelped. Fine. Maybe I was being a drama queen. But I couldn't help but enjoy watching him squirm. "Be nicer," I said in a dignified manner, sitting down and facing him. He gave me his signature quirky smirk. "Fine, fine. I'll be nicer to the little overly-sensitive Clan cat." "Good." Staring at me in disbelief, he said, "There's really no ruffling you, is there?" I licked a paw. "Not really." "Ryan! What are you doing?" Turning, both of us glimpsed a pale cat and a fluffier brown one padding towards us. Chamomile and Lily. I had a feeling they might not be so appreciative of me. Totally relaxed, Ryan waved a paw in greeting. "This is Breezepaw." "Ah yes. The one that yawned when we talked to her Clan." Lily regarded me like I was dirt. I gave her a huge fake smile in response. Chamomile shrugged. "That doesn't explain what she's doing out here, Ryan." "She agreed to come out here and let me lecture her on why the Clans suck," he replied, nudging his sister. "Because she owes me for helping her yesterday." Thankfully, he didn't elaborate on my clumsy fall. Eyes traveling between the two of us, Lily frowned deeply. "Really? So this is all for our mission, Ryan? Bringing one single apprentice - who just happens to be a girl - out here to educate her, when she very clearly doesn't care about our cause? Because I'm detecting something else going on here," she said sharply. Both of us stared at her blankly. Or at least I did. Ryan seemed a little uncomfortable. Maybe he and his sister knew something I didn't? Getting to my paws, I said, "I think I need to go back to my camp." Sullen, Ryan rolled his eyes. "Fine." He was clearly upset at his sisters for intruding. Just then, we heard the distant pounding of paws. Lily, Chamomile, Ryan and I all swiveled our heads, trying to pinpoint where it was coming from and it's cause. I couldn't see anything at first. At least, not until a giant army of cats thundered into view. "Who are they? Are those your group members?" I snapped urgently as the cats made a beeline for the SpringClan border. There were tons of them, all lean and beady-eyed and vicious-looking. My heart clenched in fear. Mutely, Chamomile nodded. My stomach plunged into my paws. They're headed for the SpringClan camp. No time. There was no time to ask Ryan if he'd heard about this attack, no time to yell and scream and claw at him and his sisters. I had to get back to my Clan. They needed me. If I hadn't come out here... Pushing away the thoughts, I broke into a run, determined to get back to SpringClan before it was too late. The End Category:Vale Category:Action Category:WFW 1